lb. “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci may be the most famous work of art that celebrates the deeper meaning of a shared meal. Bread breaking – even in a non-religious sense – is, after all, not merely an act of ingesting food together; psychologists also see it as a social act and associate it with people’s mental wellbeing. The dining table acts as a unifier and it makes perfect sense that the scene depicted by da Vinci today can be found in many a Filipino dining room.
As if by design, the city where the artist’s masterpiece decorates the refectory of a Dominican convent is also host to one of two Italian branches of the Filipino fast-food chain Jollibee. It serves old classics like Yumburger or Chickenjoy and one can even order Jolly Spaghetti – which might, however, stretch an Italian’s definition of the dish.
Even though the menu does not quite reflect the original (unfortunately, you won’t find any Palabok Fiesta or Peach Mango Pie), dining at Jollibee Milano still feels like the real deal. After all, isn’t it all about eating in the company of a host of other Pin@ys? It could even make up for when they, once again, run out of gravy.
(P.S. Here is an iconic “Italian reacts to Jolly Spaghetti” video.)
